Steam bath cabinet

ABSTRACT

A steam bath cabinet including a closet part having an opening thereinto defined by coplanar edge portions. A door hinged to the closet part and including edges adapted to make sealing contact with the coplanar end portions of the closet part of the cabinet. The door of the cabinet is of a generally concavo-convex configuration which protrudes forwardly from the closet part of the cabinet when the door spans the opening of the closet part. The upper edge of the door is interrupted to form a slot into which the neck of the cabinet user is positioned when the door is closed.

Ullittid States Patent 1 91 Cosper 14 1 Jan. 2, 1973 [54] STEAM BATHCABINET [76] lnventor: Dale L. Cosper, 1603 E. Hoover l2ll955 Howard..4/l64 2/1957 Taves ..4/l64X Primary Examiner-Henry K. ArtisAttorney-Oltsch and Knoblock [57] ABSTRACT A steam bath cabinetincluding a closet part having an opening thereinto defined by coplanaredge portions. A door hinged to the closet part and including edgesadapted to make sealing contact with the coplanar end portions of thecloset part of the cabinet. The door of the cabinet is of a generallyconcavo-convex configuration which protrudes forwardly from the closetpart of the cabinet when the door spans the opening of the closet part.The upper edge of the door is interrupted to form a slot into which theneck of the cabinet user is positioned when the door is closed.

10 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PA TENTEUJM ms 3.707.732

SHEEI 1 0F 3 INVENTOR. DALE L. COSPE/Q Ce ,Wmk

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJM I915 SHEET 2 BF 3 T 7. man-- mm mL E a 0 PATENT E DJAN 2 3 7 O7. 7 3 2 sum 3 0r 3 INVENTOR. DALE L. COS/ ER A TTORNEYSSTEAM BATH CABINET I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toa steam bath cabinet of such a construction that each of the closet partand door of the cabinet can be formed of a one-piece moldedconstruction. The opening into the closet part of the cabinet is definedby a coplanar end edge which not only allows each of the closet part anddoor to be molded in one. integral piece but also permits the fitbetween the door and closet part to take place in a single plane, thusimproving the seal between the door and the closet part. Unlike theprior art constructions of steam bath cabinets in which the neck openingis either wholly within the closet part of the cabinet or partiallywithin both the closet part and door, the neck opening in the steamcabinet of this invention is formed wholly within the door. Wheels aremounted to the closet part of the cabinet and are adapted to permit thecabinet to be tilted and moved from one location to another with ease.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a steam bathcabinet which is of economical construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a steam bath cabinet inwhich the seal between the closet part and door of the cabinet lies in asingle plane and permits each of the closet part and door to be formedor molded in one integral piece.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a steam bathcabinet in which the neck opening for the user of the cabinet is locatedwholly within the door of the cabinet.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a steam bathcabinet which is of light weight, economical construction and whichincludes means for facilitating movement of the cabinet from onelocation to another.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a steam bathcabinet in which the fit between the closet part of the cabinet and doorthereof is adjustable.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading ofthe inventions description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of thisinvention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and descriptionwherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the steam bath cabinet of this inventionshowing the door thereof open.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the steam bath cabinet of this inventionshowing the door thereof closed.

F IG. 3 is a side elevation of the steam bath cabinet shown in FIG. 2 asviewed from the left thereof.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the center line of FIG. 2 with aportion of a side wall of the cabinet shown in place to illustrate theposition of the heater controls of the cabinet.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

' FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is afragmentary enlarged sectional view taken along line 8--8 ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged detail view of that portion of FIG. 8which is circled and designated by the numeral 9.

FIG. It) is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 1 l l l of FIG. 3.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged detail view as seen along line 12--l2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred embodimentillustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the inventionto the precise form disclosed. It is chosen and described in order tobest explain the principles of the invention and its application andpractical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to bestutilize the invention.

The steam bath cabinet illustrated in the drawings includes a closetpart 10 and a door 12. Closet part 10 includes a floor 14 having anupwardly inclined front marginal portion 16, side walls 18, and a backor end wall 20. Floor 14, side walls 18, and end wall 20 cooperate toform a continuous edge portion 22 which defines the opening into closetpart 10. Door 12 is preferably of a generally concavo-convex ordomeshaped construction and mayinclude a curved threesection center wall24 bounded on opposite sides by side walls 26. The edge 28 of door 12 isinterrupted in the upper section of center wall 24 by an opening 30which is centered between the planes of side walls 26 of the door. I

Edge portion 22 of closet part 10 lies in a single plane and may bedefined, as best illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, as having an out-turnedweb part 32 which terminates in an upturned lip 34. Edge 28 of door 12may be defined by a downturned lip 36 which extends circumferentiallyfrom one edge of opening 30 therein along the margins of door centerwall 24 and side walls 26 to the other edge of opening 30. Door lip 36fits complementally and preferably with slight clearance within closetpart lip 34 and is secured to the closet part by means of a hinge 38.Hinge 38 extends along one side wall 18 of the closet part and ispreferably positioned between lip 34 of the sidewall and lip 36 of theadjacent door side wall 26. Plate 40 of hinge 38 is secured, such as byrivets, to the inside surface of the side wall lip 34 and plate 42 ofthe hinge is likewise secured to the outside surface of lip 36 of doorside wall 26. A flexible U-shaped seal 44, which can be of a rubbercomposition, is fitted around lip 36 of door 12. A flexible U-shapedseal 46, which also may be of a rubber composition, is fitted around lip34 of closet part 10. Seal 46 includes an inwardly projecting flange 48which is spaced from web part 32 of edge portion 22. As shown in FIG.10, flange 48 of seal 46 is contacted by door seal 44 as the door isclosed and is flexed slightly inwardly so as to make positive contactwith the door. To add to the comfort of the user of the steam bathcabinet, a flexible covering 50 may be applied to the edges of opening30 in center wall 24 of the door.

Closet part 10 and door 12 are so constructed that each may be formed inone integral piece. In the preferred embodiment, the closet part anddoor are formed of molded fiber glass. To add rigidity to closet partand door 12, strips of reinforcing material 52 may be secured internallybetween walls at selected junctions thereof in the closet part and doorto thus form what is known as a torque-box. To compensate for any sag ormisalignment of door 12 and to improve the fit of the door, a dooradjustment means, such as the camming device illustrated in FIG. 12, maybe connected to either closet part 10 or door 12. The illustratedcamming device includes an internal anchor bracket 54. Bracket 54 ispreferably secured by screw 56 and nut 58 to the inside surface of lip36 at the bottom edge of door 12 adjacent its hinge-free side edge. Aninverted generally U-shaped pivot bracket 60 is positioned over bracket54 and connected thereto by a pivot pin 62. Bracket 60 includes armparts 64 which protrude beyond the edge of door 12 and which have aroller 68 journalled thereto. Bracket 60 is shiftable about pin 62 in aplane generally perpendicular to lip 36 and is limited in its movementby stop nut 70 which is threaded onto the free end of screw 56 whichprotrudes upwardly with clearance through an aperture 72 in web 74 ofbracket 60. When door 12 is being closed, roller 68, which is preferablyof a nylon composition, contacts web part 32 of the front marginalportion 16 of closet part floor l4 and rides upwardly thereover onto thesloping part 33 of floor portion 16. As roller 68 rides upwardly overweb part 32 of floor portion 16, bracket 60 moves upwardly relative tothe door until the web 74 of the bracket engages stop nut 70.Thereafter, continued upward movement of roller 68 as the top of webpart 32 is approached causes an upwardly movement of door 12 to providea good interfit between the door and closet part 10. As roller 68reaches the top of web part 32 and rides slightly downwardly ontosloping part 33, door seal 44 is caused to be firmly seated againstflange 48 of closet part seal 46. Adjustment of the fit of door 12 isaccomplished by turning stop nut 70 which varies the extent of movementof bracket 60 about its pivot pin 62.

Disposed within closet part 10 is a seat 76. Seat 76 is preferablyremovably mounted to the closet part and is adjustable in height so asto accommodate users of different sizes. A bracket 78 is secured bysuitable means to each side wall 18 of the closet part. Each bracket 78includes a plurality of horizontal parallel rails 80. A similar bracket82 is secured to each side flange 84 of seat 76. Brackets 82 containparallel flanges or rails 83 which are so positioned that seat 76 can beslid inwardly and outwardly of closet part 10 with at least one rail 83of each seat bracket 82 overlapping and resting upon a rail 80 of acloset part bracket 78. Thus, the distance of seat 76 from the bottom offloor 14 of the closet part can be varied by adjusting seat 76 andcausing a lapping of selected rails 80 and 83 of brackets 78 and 82. Tolimit appreciable side movement of seat 76, each rail 80 and 83 ofbrackets 78 and 82 may include a cap part 86.

Located below seat 76 is a steam generating unit 88. Steam generatingunit 88 includes a reservoir pan and heating coils which are of standardconstruction in the art and which are activated by various switches andthermostatic controls contained in plate 90 which is secured to one sidewall 18 of closet part 10. To facilitate removal of the condensationwhich collects on the inner surface of door 12 during operation of thesteam bath cabinet, the edge portion 22 at floor front portion 16 ispreferably designed with a slight arcuate configuration and has a trough92 formed in its web part 32 at approximately the center of the edgeportion which drains onto sloping part 33 of front portion 16. Thus thecondensation forming on the inner surface of the door will drain to thelower edge of the door, onto web part 32 or seal flange 48 which ispreferably notched above trough 92, down trough 92 and onto the bottomof the closet part where it is sponged up after use of the cabinet.

in order to facilitate movement of the assembled steam cabinet from onelocation to another, a cove 94 is formed in end wall 20 of the closetpart adjacent the rear edge of floor 14. Cove 94 is preferably locatedmidway between side walls 18 of the closet part and is defined in partby spaced sides 96 as best illustrated in FIG. 8. Each side 96 includesan aperture 98 into which one end portion of an axle member 100 isinserted. A wheel 102 is journaled about each end portion of axle member100 and is positioned next to the adjacent cove side 96. Each wheel 102is positioned adjacent its cove side 96, with the hub 104 of the wheelmaking surface-to-surface bearing contact at 106 with the cove side asbest illustrated in FIG. 9, by a snap ring 108 which is seated within agroove in axle member 100. Wheels 102 project beyond the outline ofcloset part end wall 20 at its junction with floor 14 so as to permitthe assembled cabinet to be tilted rearwardly with the weight of thecabinet being placed upon the wheels and the cabinet moved inwheelbarrow fashion. The outer periphery of wheels 102 preferably do notextend beyond the plane of the lowermost portion of floor 14 so as toenable the cabinet part to set evenly upon the floor.

To assist in the closing of door 12, an indentation 110 may be formed incenter wall 24 of the door and a handlebar 111 may be inserted acrossindentation 110 and anchored into center wall 24. Additionally, anotherindentation 112 may be formed in center wall 24 just below the neckopening 30. Indentation 112 is provided with a bottom wall into which athermostat 114 and timer 116 may be inserted and directed toward theview of the user of the cabinet so as to indicate the inside temperatureof the steam bath cabinet and the duration of the steam bath. A flexibledoor stop 118 which limits the extent to which door 12 can be openedextends between the door and closet part 10.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedetails herein given but that it may be modified within the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a steam bath cabinet including a closet part and a door; saidcloset part having an opening thereinto through which a user enters thecabinet, a floor, spaced side walls extending upwardly from said floor,an end wall extending upwardly from said floor and interconnecting saidside walls; said door hinged to said closet part and adapted to spansaid closet part opening; the improvement wherein the forward margins ofsaid floor and side walls and the upper margin of said end wallcooperate to form an edge portion defining said closet part opening;said door being of a generally domeshaped configuration and having anedge adapted to engage the edge portion of said closet part opening whenspanning said opening; said edge portion of the closet part openinglying in a single plane, said door having an opening formed therein;said door opening interrupting said door edge to define the sole spacefor receiving the neck of the cabinet user during operation of thecabinet.

2. In a steam bath cabinet including a closet part and a door; saidcloset part having an opening thereinto through which a user enters thecabinet, a floor, spaced side walls extending upwardly from said floor,an end wall extending upwardly from said floor and interconnecting saidside walls; said door hinged to said closet part and adapted to spansaid closet part opening; the improvement wherein the forward margin ofsaid floor and side walls and the upper margin of said end wallcooperate to form an edge portion defining said closet part opening;said door being of a generally domeshaped configuration and having anedge adapted to engage the edge portion of said closet part opening whenspanning said opening; said edge portion of the closet part openinglying in a single plane, said door being interrupted to form an opening;said door opening cooperating with the edge portion of the cabinet partopening to form the only space for receiving the neck of the cabinetuser when the door spans the closet part opening.

3. The cabinet of claim 2 and means carried by one of said door andcloset part and engageable with the other of said door and closet partfor shifting the door relative to the closet part to assure a seal fitbetween the edge of said door and the edge portion of said closet partopening.

4. The cabinet of claim 3 wherein said door edge fits within the closetpart opening; said door shifting means including a cam member carried bysaid door at the edge thereof; said cam member adapted to engage theinner surface of said edge portion of the closet part opening as saiddoor is closed to span said closet part opening.

S. The cabinet of claim 4 wherein said cam member is a roller journaledat the bottom of said door.

6. The cabinet of claim 5 wherein that part of said edge portion of thecloset part opening at the closet part floor is defined by a downturnedweb which terminates in a forwardly projecting lip; said roller engagingsaid web and being cammed upwardly thereover causing a vertical shiftingof said door relative to said closet part as said door is closed.

7. The cabinet of claim 6 wherein said roller is vertically adjustablerelative to said door to vary the fit of said door within said closetpart opening.

8. The cabinet of claim 2 and wheel means carried by said closet partadjacent the lower edge of its end wall; said wheel means adapted tosupport the weight of said cabinet when the closet part thereof istilted rearwardly so as to facilitate movement of the cabinet from onelocation to another.

9. The cabinet of claim 2 including a seat positioned within said closetpart between the side walls thereof; means carried by each side wall forsupporting said seat; each seat supporting means including spacedparallel support rails; said seat including means overlapping andresting upon selected rails wherein said seat is supported a selecteddistance from the floor.

10. The cabinet of claim 2 wherein said door edge fits within the closetpart opening; that part of said closet opening edge portion along saidcloset part floor having sloping portions terminating in a lower drainpoint; said edge portion part defined by a downturned Web whichterminates in a forwardly projecting lip; said web defining a trough atthe lower drain point of said edge portion part; said trough beinginclined toward the floor of said closet part and being adapted toreceive the condensation which forms during use of the cabinet on theinside surface of said door and which drains downwardly onto the lip andweb of said edge portion part; whereby said condensation upon enteringthe trough drains onto the floor of the closet part.

1. In a steam bath cabinet including a closet part and a door; saidcloset part having an opening thereinto through which a user enters thecabinet, a floor, spaced side walls extending upwardly from said floor,an end wall extending upwardly from said floor and interconnecting saidside walls; said door hinged to said closet part and adapted to spansaid closet part opening; the improvement wherein the forward margins ofsaid floor and side walls and the upper margin of said end wallcooperate to form an edge portion defining said closet part opening;said door being of a generally dome-shaped configuration and having anedge adapted to engage the edge portion of said closet part opening whenspanning said opening; said edge portion of the closet part openinglying in a single plane, said door having an opening formed therein;said door opening interrupting said door edge to define the sole spacefor receiving the neck of the cabinet user during operation of thecabinet.
 2. In a steam bath cabinet including a closet part and a door;said closet part having an opening thereinto through which a user entersthe cabinet, a floor, spaced side walls extending upwardly from saidfloor, an end wall extending upwardly from said floor andinterconnecting said side walls; said door hinged to said closet partand adapted to span said closet part opening; the improvement whereinthe forward margin of said floor and side walls and the upper margin ofsaid end wall cooperate to form an edge portion defining said closetpart opening; said door being of a generally dome-shaped configurationand having an edge adapted to engage the edge portion of said closetpart opening when spanning said opening; said edge portion of the closetpart opening lying in a single plane, said door being interrupted toform an opening; said door opening cooperating with the edge portion ofthe cabinet part opening to form the only space for receiving the neckof the cabinet user when the door spans the closet part opening.
 3. Thecabinet of claim 2 and means carried by one of said door and closet partand engageable with the other of said door and closet part for shiftingthe door relative to the closet part to assure a seal fit between theedge of said door and the edge portion of said closet part opening. 4.The cabinet of claim 3 wherein said door edge fits within the closetpart opening; said door shifting means including a cam member carried bySaid door at the edge thereof; said cam member adapted to engage theinner surface of said edge portion of the closet part opening as saiddoor is closed to span said closet part opening.
 5. The cabinet of claim4 wherein said cam member is a roller journaled at the bottom of saiddoor.
 6. The cabinet of claim 5 wherein that part of said edge portionof the closet part opening at the closet part floor is defined by adownturned web which terminates in a forwardly projecting lip; saidroller engaging said web and being cammed upwardly thereover causing avertical shifting of said door relative to said closet part as said dooris closed.
 7. The cabinet of claim 6 wherein said roller is verticallyadjustable relative to said door to vary the fit of said door withinsaid closet part opening.
 8. The cabinet of claim 2 and wheel meanscarried by said closet part adjacent the lower edge of its end wall;said wheel means adapted to support the weight of said cabinet when thecloset part thereof is tilted rearwardly so as to facilitate movement ofthe cabinet from one location to another.
 9. The cabinet of claim 2including a seat positioned within said closet part between the sidewalls thereof; means carried by each side wall for supporting said seat;each seat supporting means including spaced parallel support rails; saidseat including means overlapping and resting upon selected rails whereinsaid seat is supported a selected distance from the floor.
 10. Thecabinet of claim 2 wherein said door edge fits within the closet partopening; that part of said closet opening edge portion along said closetpart floor having sloping portions terminating in a lower drain point;said edge portion part defined by a downturned web which terminates in aforwardly projecting lip; said web defining a trough at the lower drainpoint of said edge portion part; said trough being inclined toward thefloor of said closet part and being adapted to receive the condensationwhich forms during use of the cabinet on the inside surface of said doorand which drains downwardly onto the lip and web of said edge portionpart; whereby said condensation upon entering the trough drains onto thefloor of the closet part.